Irrigation scoop



Patented Oct. 24, 1950 IRRIGATION SCOOP Russell L. Wold, Lihue, Kauai, Territory of 7 Hawaii f.

Application July 23, 1948, Serial No. 40,283

This invention relates to irrigation systems and, more particularly, to an improvement on the system disclosedin my prior, copending application entitled Irrigation Systems, Serial Number 736,197, filed March 21, 1947.

The present invention is intended for controlling the outflow of water from a flume wherein the water outlet is at .or near the bottom of the fiume. In forming the flume, a deflecting surfaceis bumped inwardly in the bottom on the upstream side of the opening so that water rushing down the flume is jumped over the opening with no substantial leakage. When outflow of water is desired, a bafile is adjustably extended upwardly through the opening to intercept the water which otherwise would jump over the opening, and thus the desired amount of water is deflected downwardly through the outlet opening.

One problem encountered in some installa tions of the basic system is the collection of trash on the front of the baffles. The trash lodging on the baffles blocks the outlet openings, and dams or impedes the flume stream. The object of this invention is to provide'a bafile yieldably supported in deflecting position so that when a batch of trash collects, the baflle will bow backwards, pass the trash along, and return to its normal operating position.

Another object is to provide a yieldable baffle which can be engaged in a non-working position beneath. the bottom opening in a flume and which, by a simple manual operation, can be readily inserted into the flume. It is additionally proposed to provide for the adjustable limitation of the extent to which the baflie may be inserted into the flume stream so as to deflect the desired quantities of water through the flume outlet, and to compensate for different velocities of water in the fiume.

These and other objects will be apparent in the following specification and drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a side elevation, broken away, showing the baflie in non-operating position.

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but showing the baflie in normal operating position;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Figs. 1 and 2 but showing the baflie in debris-discharging position;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the back of the bafiie;

Fig. 5 is side elevation of the baflle; and

Fig. 6 is a view of the inner end of the baffle.

Referring now to the drawing, in which like reference numerals denote the same or similar 5 Claims. (01.6142) elements, the portion of the invention disclosed in the above-noted' parent application comprises a sheet metal flume 2 having outlet openings'4 spaced along the bottom and blisters 6 which de"- flect the flumestream up and over openings 4 so that,*without bafflesxsubstantially no'water leaks out. The flume shown is tubular, it being understood that it may also be trough-shaped; -or semi-circular. I r

This invention epnce nsa new battle 8 preferably formed of flat *sheet metal and having flanges ID on each's'ide: Onthe'bacli of bafiie 8 near its inner end I I are afiiked'upstanding eye lets I2 which constitute bearings for the cross member 14 of a generally triangular tongue l6 preferably bent from a continuous length of stiff wire. A wound coil spring 18 is disposed around base M of tongue 16 with an anchor portion 20 pressing against the back of baffle 8 near its outer end I! and with its ends 22 engaged as fingers over the sides of tongue 15 so as to bias the tongue towards the bafiie. The assembly is reminiscent of a rat trap with no trigger.

Baflle 8 is installed by pivoting tongue it upwardly and then passing the tongue upwardly through opening 4 so that it lies along the bottom of flume 2 below the opening. In the ofi, or non-operating position, bafile 8 swings up by the pressure of spring I8 against the bottom of flume 2 as shown in Fig. 1. When placing bafiie 8 in its on position, the outer end I1 is manually engaged and pivoted downwardly against the force of spring I8 so that the inner end I! swings upwardly beneath blister 6 and into opening 4' so that the baflie may be pushed up into the flume to intercept the stream of water. The extent to which the bafiie ma be inserted intc the flume is determined by the selected location of cotter pins 24 which may be placed in any one of holes 26 in flanges [6. The outer ends of pins 24 engage against the lower surfaces of flume 2 adjacent opening t to prevent further insertion of the baflie or its being completely pulled into the flume by a sudden surge of water pressure in the fiume. 7

When manually released in the on position shown in Fig. 2 flanges I0 engage against the free edge of blister 6, the back of bafiie engages against the lower edge of opening 4 and tongue [6, of course, remains engaged against the bottom of flume 2. A portion of the part-flowing flume stream which otherwise would be deflected upwardly by blisters 6 to jump opening 4 is thus deflected downwardly through opening. When 3 suflicient debris collects against the inner end I l, baffle 8 pivots back against the force of spring l8 to unload and allow the trash to pass on by, as illustrated in Fig. 3. As soon as the bafiie is unloaded the sprin returns it to the normal on position.

The invention detailed above is not restricted to the specific disclosure but is intended to cover the various equivalent forms and modifications within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. In an irrigation system, a flume adapted to accommodate a stream of water and having an outlet opening in a wall thereof, a baffle, and means for supporting said baffle in said flume on the downstream side of said opening for inter cepting said stream whereby to direct a portion thereof outwardly through said opening, said means being yieldable in the direction of flow of said stream whereby said baflie may move in the direction of flow for passing thereover debris collected from the stream.

2. In an irrigation system, a flume adapted to accommodate a stream of water and havin an outlet opening in a wall thereof, a baiile, means for supporting said baflie in said flume on the downstream side of said opening and at an angle with respect to said stream whereby deflect a portion thereof outwardly through said opening, said means being yieldable whereby to permit said bafile to swing in the direction of flow of said stream whereby to pass thereover debris collected from the stream.

3. In combination, a flume for carrying a stream of water, said flume having an opening through a wall thereof, a baflle extendin inwardly of said flume through said opening and having an interior portion lying within said fiume and an exterior portion lying exteriorly of said flume, a tongue, a pivot connecting one end of said tongue to said interior portion, the other end of said tongue engagin said flume on the downstream side of said flume, and a spring engaged between said tongue and bafile and biasing said tongue against said flume, whereby yieldably to support said baflle in said flume against the force of said stream of Water.

4. The combination claimed in claim I3, said baffie having adjustable stops thereon engageable with said flume for limiting the inward extent of said baffle through said opening.

5. The combination claimed in claim 3, said baffle being formed of sheet metal and having flanges along the longitudinal edges to define a scoop.

RUSSELL L. WOLD.

Name Date Baldwin June 4, 1935 Number 

